Green Bay --- Coach Mike McCarthy discusses the second-year jump more than anything each off-season. The Packers, annually, count on players making significant improvements Year 1 to Year 2. They'd rather reinforce a position this way than free agency.

ILB Sam Barrington

Early signs in OTA practices point to Jamari Lattimore being used in Dom Capers' defense. A four-year veteran now, the college defensive end has worked at outside linebacker, inside linebacker and plenty of special teams in the pros. Whatever the Packers' defense resembles, expect to see Lattimore.

And don't forget about the seventh-round pick Barrington at inside linebacker. He beat out Terrell Manning for a roster spot last summer after a productive preseason (14 sacks, sack). Barrington never played a snap from scrimmage as a rookie. A hamstring injury ended his season in the eighth game.

Coaches won't forget about last summer, though, much like they didn't forget about Boykin.

“I really look for him to take a jump in Year 2,” McCarthy said of Barrington in February. “He knows that. That was part of our (exit) conversation. I thought he did some really good things in the preseason. I was excited about him and then he got injured. Sam’s a big guy.

“In planning, I want to be more multiple. So guys like Sam Barrington, young players, are going to be able to compete.”

Could be the reason no ILB was drafted, looks like Ted and Mike think they have their ILBr's of the future already on the team.

The big question, as is with all the LBr's, can they stay healthy and on the field, if not, then The Packers all time leading tackler will have to absorb another year of abuse from the fans.[wasntme] [wasntme]

The big question, as is with all the LBr's, can they stay healthy and on the field, if not, then The Packers all time leading tackler will have to absorb another year of abuse from the fans.[wasntme] [wasntme]

The second big question is, can they cover?

There are also examples of players who come back and shit themselves in their second year. Casey Heyward for example. Be nice to see him return to form. He still hasn't proven he wasn't a one year wonder.

“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”

As it pertains to relating to it allowing the Packers to surge forward to compete for the SB, hearing this phrase and believing in it, requires the listener or reader to not consider that every single other team in the NFL's 2nd year players will be making the same or similar jump.

Of course, everyone will immediately point to Datone Jones as he was our 1st rounder last year, and then proceed on to the rest of the draft class. After that...you have the UDFA's, Mulumba, Taylor and Banjo.

Outside of Jones, I'm not sure I'm expecting any of the other guys to make appreciable gains. Hyde, Bakhtiari, Lacy played pretty well in Year 1. Tretter and Barrington are wildcards and not sure what they'll be is in line with 2nd year jump since they really didn't get a first year. Josh Boyd, I suppose, is the other guy who may show more worth.

I expect Dorsey and Palmer to be cut. Franklin may be toast due to a neck injury.

I don't have much hope for Barrington, even less for Palmer. I had a high opinion of Lattimore, but it seemed like the coaches did not last year. The fact that those guys are getting p.t. says (to me, at least) they are ready to get rid of Brad Jones, and they don't want to be too quick to just hand the spot to Carl Bradford. Just the same, I expect Bradford in rotation with Lattimore for the second ILB spot by the start of the season.

As for the question in general of who leaps forward his second year, Boykin is not second year, I guess, so he doesn't count. I don't know if you can count Tretter. I would have thought Mulumba, who I like, but he is kinda squeezed out by Peppers and a healthy Perry and maybe Neal. How about DaJuan Harris? I guess you could say it's his second year - more or less. My personal favorite, though, is Scott Tolzien, who I see as clearly beating out Flynn as the backup QB.

Expressing the Good Normal Views of Good Normal Americans. If Anything I Say Smacks of Extremism, Please Tell Me EXACTLY What.

I think Datone Jones is going to be big because 1) he's bulked up 2) he's more experienced and the D is going to be simplified and 3) he's the pick I wanted them to make so I need him to be good so I look smart. I wanted b.j. Raji a few years ago and that hasn't completely panned out and I wanted Ha-Ha this year (thinking Pryor because I assumed HCD would alrewady be gone).

I loved the picks of Jordy Nelson and Cobb when they happened, so like Ted Thompson I seem to have a poor track record on my picks in the trenches.

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits" --Albert Einstein

I think Datone Jones is going to be big because 1) he's bulked up 2) he's more experienced and the D is going to be simplified and 3) he's the pick I wanted them to make so I need him to be good so I look smart. I wanted b.j. Raji a few years ago and that hasn't completely panned out and I wanted Ha-Ha this year (thinking Pryor because I assumed HCD would alrewady be gone).

I loved the picks of Jordy Nelson and Cobb when they happened, so like Ted Thompson I seem to have a poor track record on my picks in the trenches.

You sound pretty good to me.

“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”

I think Datone Jones is going to be big because 1) he's bulked up 2) he's more experienced and the D is going to be simplified and 3) he's the pick I wanted them to make so I need him to be good so I look smart. I wanted b.j. Raji a few years ago and that hasn't completely panned out and I wanted Ha-Ha this year (thinking Pryor because I assumed HCD would alrewady be gone).

I loved the picks of Jordy Nelson and Cobb when they happened, so like Ted Thompson I seem to have a poor track record on my picks in the trenches.

Same with me, all of those guys, even Raji, were the ones I was hoping for at the time. I can't claim to have seen the Sherrod or Worthy picks coming, but on analysis, I liked them too.

It wouldn't take anything unusual at all, just normal progression of things for this to be one helluva year - a tremendous leap forward for the team.

Expressing the Good Normal Views of Good Normal Americans. If Anything I Say Smacks of Extremism, Please Tell Me EXACTLY What.

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